


The Dragon and The Prince

by cheese_rings



Category: K-pop, The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Dragon Juyeon, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Modern Royalty, Prince Chanhee, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28916454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheese_rings/pseuds/cheese_rings
Summary: Chanhee, the prince of a rich and beautiful kingdom, has been abducted by a dragon demanding them to leave the forest, his home, alone. Hidden away in a cave in the mountains, Chanhee tried his best to escape.That is, until the dragon shifts back to human form.
Relationships: Choi Chanhee | New/Lee Juyeon
Comments: 23
Kudos: 138





	1. Prologue

_Juyeon watched in horror as the trees started falling around him. Animals were scurrying past him, desperate to get away from the hellfire of heavy machinery and sharp equipment threatening to cut them along with the old, ancient trees of the forests._

_He couldn’t move. Juyeon was stuck in place, even as a panicked bear cub nudged him to start moving away. His feet were rooted onto the ground, as helpless as the trees around them._

_His home was being destroyed._

_Usually, the humans never ventured past the thick tree line, having had some respect for the eerie beauty and silence the hardwood forests brought in the horizon, so Juyeon was surprised to have been woken up by birds screaming in his ears that their nests were being thrown to the ground by heavy metal beams. The panic, distress, and desperation in their high-pitched tweeting was very alarming to Juyeon._

_Of course, as guardian of the forest, Juyeon immediately dashed out to see why and what the problem was. What he saw struck him with so many emotions, but mostly despair, as he watched what he grew up with, what he was supposed to protect, crash down. His heart ached and bitter tears stung his eyes, rolling down his cheeks._

_“No…” he whispered, as if it could only reverse what was happening. “No, please.” He walked closer to the edge of where the metal monsters were, still relentless in their quest to destroy and demolish every hardwood tree they could get their dirty, oily, greased fingers on. The despair in Juyeon’s heart turned to anger, a raging fire that could not be simply extinguished by water._

_As claws started to grow from his fingers and his back started to hunch, Juyeon let out a low growl: a warning. The machineries overshadowed his warning with their mechanical whirring, however, and the demolition continued. It was deafening to Juyeon, the ugly noise of branches crashing and the slicing of century-old trunks that saw and know much more history than any of the humans would ever know._

_“Leave!” he roared, but it was still drowned out by the clattering and clinking of the heavy metal monsters Juyeon was facing. His stature started to grow, clothes ripping and falling to the ground as his height grew taller and golden, red, sunset scales started to appear on his skin. “Leave!”_

_Juyeon’s threat went unheard. His back split to let his wings out, two mighty arches of bone and flesh connected to his hands, colored like rust and shining like polished red-gold in the sun seeping through the broken leaf canopy. Juyeon let out a louder, roar, fully transformed that time, and the machines stopped for a moment._

_With a bone-chilling screech, Juyeon swiped a clawed hand at the nearest grey machine he could find, denting through the metal like it was butter and his claws were heated knives. Juyeon stomped on the fallen machine, further crushing it to pieces, and swung his heavy, scaled tail to hit the other machines and topple them to the ground as well._

_“Leave!” He roared, though by the time it would be incomprehensible to humans. It still shook through the air, vibrating with the terror it inspired. In that roar, Juyeon let it hang over the atmosphere for a moment, turning back to check for the animals, who were standing behind him. They didn’t look terrorized by him, for they know Juyeon was there to protect them… and Juyeon intended to do just that._

_Juyeon retreated back onto the shadows, not wanting to reveal himself just yet. No, it is not yet time for the world to feel Juyeon’s wrath. In his mind, a plan had already formed itself. He still needed to pay attention to it, to draw out the details needed for it to be a success, but Juyeon had already stuck to it. For now, Juyeon will destroy their angry machines, matching their steel with his claws. Soon, he will unleash hell fire on those who worked and funded the mechanical destruction of his home. He had seen the corporation’s logo and known exactly which kingdom they worked for._

_Juyeon was to unleash hell upon the flower kingdom of Rosetta, home of the roses and the famous flower prince. Juyeon knew his hell fire would burn like the sun on the delicate leaves and petals of the flowers on the kingdom, and that, he hoped would be enough to avenge all the broken trees the heavy metal monsters had caused. He knew roses had thorns, but those also burn in the fire of Juyeon’s anger._

_He shifted back, the scales disappearing, and a small monkey handed him a blanket to wrap around himself. Juyeon glanced at the damage he had caused, hoping it would cause the humans a lot more than what they had done to the forest and hopefully deter them from coming back, but he knew in his heart it was only the start of a war. It was inevitable, but Juyeon was strong and determined enough to match whatever the humans were willing to throw at him._

_He comforted the animals, told them to go deeper into the forest and stay away from the edge, for he doesn’t know when and how the humans will come back. He told them to rebuild their homes stronger and better, and that if they need any help, they only need to come at his cave. As the animals shuffled away, grateful for their protector, Juyeon was faced with the grim reality that danger had befallen his beloved sanctuary._

_Juyeon was the guardian of the forest. He knew his responsibilities and his limits—waging a war was never part of the job description when Juyeon took the role many years before. He couldn’t remember a time when humans battled guardians, but then again, humans did move the first pawn forward._

_Juyeon didn’t like to see humans burn, but for the sake of the hardwood forest, they will._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with more JuNew. This prompt won the Twitter poll, so here it is! Please give this fic lots of kudos and comments!


	2. The Flower Prince

Chanhee woke up with a start. His heart and head were both pounding as a result of the nightmare he had just forced himself to wake up from. He could still feel the burn of the flames on his skin, as if he really was being burned alive, like in his dream.

Flames that burned him still even when he jumped into the water to save himself.

The context of the dream was starting to be lost in Chanhee’s conscious mind, so he merely brushed it off, getting out of his bed to start the day and his long list of activities as Rosetta’s reigning monarch. His crown was on the nightstand, polished to the point of reflecting even the smallest imperfection around it the night before. Chanhee smiled at the crown, happy to serve his people.

“Your Highness, you’re awake!” Jacob, one of his top advisers, walked in with a furrowed brow, followed by the rest of Chanhee’s advisers. Chanhee frowned at them, motioning that he still was in his pajamas, but Jacob seemed to have had a problem bigger than seeing the prince in his nighties. “We have a very dire situation, Chanhee.”

“How dire is it that all ten of you barged into my bedroom at the crack of dawn?” Chanhee complained, accepting the robe one of the advisers, Younghoon, offered. He tightened the robe around himself, waiting for his advisers to explain themselves, and frowned. _Why is it so stuffy and hot? It’s supposed to be cold in the mornings._

“A huge illegal logging company was found at the south of the kingdom, mining the hardwood forest.” Sangyeon explained. “Something happened to their operation though, that’s how they were found out by our rangers. Apparently, they were attacked by some huge horde of wolves? There were claw marks and dents on their equipment.”

“Before you say _good!_ , Chanhee, we already have them on trial with no chance of them getting out free.” Changmin added quickly when the prince opened his mouth to say so. “However, the situation here is that there’s something big and dangerous in the hardwood forest, and we need to contain whatever it is that caused the mess before they attack our townspeople.”

Sunwoo grunted, obviously not happy to be awake at such an early time as well. “I, for one, would very much like to leave whatever it is in the forests alone. They only attacked because they were provoked by the illegal mining operation, anyway. It’s the first and only known attack from the hardwood forests.”

Kevin agreed to that, surprising even Sunwoo. “The illegal loggers were invading their territory, it’s only conclusive that they were defending themselves. Besides, Sunwoo’s right. It’s the only attack we have in history.”

“ _Yet_.” Hyunjae argued. “We don’t know what will happen in the future, Sunwoo-yah. I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Chanhee?” Younghoon consulted the prince, who seemed lost in thought. “What are you thinking about?”

The prince shook his head, unwilling to share his thoughts. He faced his advisers with a determined look, already giving out orders. “Firstly, make sure the trial goes smoothly. Schedule the trial so I can go myself. Preserving the forests is one of my major goals during my reign, and I shall see it through. Secondly, Sunwoo’s right, this is an isolated incident and the illegal loggers _deserved_ it.

“However, we can’t ignore the fact that it might attack again, unprovoked this time.” Chanhee continued. “It’s too big of a risk to just let go. Tighten the border patrols, but don’t let them stray too much into the hardwood forests. We don’t know what’s out there.”

“As always, Prince Chanhee knows the best~” Haknyeon sang out. “I’ll personally look into your schedule, hyung. Is there anything else—oy, Eric, why are you so quiet? You’re usually the noisiest one during meetings.”

The youngest of the advisers looked jittery, which concerned Chanhee.

“Speak up, Eric. What’s wrong?”

“Hyung, have you heard of the tale of the lonely dragon?” Eric asked in a small voice. “My mom used to tell it to me every night so I won’t venture out, since we lived near the hardwood forests when I was young. It’s a well-known story among the elders in the kingdom, it’s even in our history books.”

Jacob tilted his head. “A dragon? You think a dragon is behind the attack, Eric?”

“I know it seems far off!” Eric defended himself. “It’s just a thought.”

Chanhee beckoned them all to sit down on the chairs and sofa scattered around the bedroom. “Eric, don’t be shy. Tell us the story. Without the unnecessary things you usually add into your storytelling, that is. It seems to be bothering you a lot and it’s worrying me.”

“The elders say that dragons exist. They aren’t the malevolent ones we see in films or read in stories, no.” Eric started to explain, fidgeting under the attention. “These dragons had a duty to protect their domains, so in this case, the dragon here protects the hardwood forests. They made a sort of pact with our ancestors…”

“Why are you trailing off?” Kevin asked.

“Haknyeon-hyung, please put the buns away. I’m getting hungry and distracted.” Eric begged.

_They made a pact with the humans. Every generation, a family would sacrifice their firstborn son to the dragon, so that this son will carry on the fire of the dragon through blood. No one knows how it’s done, but the son becomes the dragon, and so on and on. As everyone knows these dragons don’t live forever, they must pass on their duty to a new generation._

_These dragons then gain the ability to breathe fire that water cannot extinguish, to fly with scaled wings as large as castle turrets. They can communicate with the animals, make trees grow, and be one with the domain that which they protect._

_The generational pact continued, until it didn’t, and the last dragon almost withered away with age. A brave young man went into the hardwood forest, desperate to save the last of the dragons, and gained the ability himself. The elder dragon then granted the young man a blessing… or a curse, depending on how such gift was to be viewed._

_He was to remain ageless until he falls in love and bears a son who will then become the next dragon._

_And so the elder dragon passed away, and the lone dragon stayed in the hardwood forests._

_Alone, waiting, protecting._

“That’s actually so sad.” Changmin spoke up after the heavy silence brought about by Eric’s storytelling. “Imagine being alone for millennia. Even if you have a duty and the companionship of the forest, being without other humans must be depressing and detaching to your humanity.”

“Oh, c’mon. Surely, you don’t believe a dragon, of all things, was the reason behind the attack on the illegal loggers!” Hyunjae complained. “This is so stupid! We should be sending out search operations now, we need to find out what’s going on in there!”

“ _There_ is a huge land expanse under the protection of the kingdom, Hyunjae-hyung.” Chanhee intervened calmly. “We can’t just run around through it. It’s uncharted territory but it’s protected. I will not allow anyone to suddenly invade the privacy of the forests. As for the story Eric told… the last dragons died out a long, long time ago. The story might only be the elders clinging onto hope that one still exists.”

Eric nodded, sad but relieved that he got his side out and no one laughed at him. “Thank you, hyung.”

“Now, everyone, get out!” Chanhee ordered lightheartedly. “Your prince still needs to pretty himself up for the day!” He kicked everyone out accordingly, locking the door after shooing his advisers to wait for him in the throne room instead so they could have breakfast together when he comes down.

Alone, Chanhee felt the room start to burn all around him.

_Flames that even water couldn’t extinguish._ Just like in his dream. Was it possible that Chanhee had dreamed of an omen or a vision? It had happened before, and even saved his life, but what of it now? Chanhee doesn’t know how to make sense of what was going on, but he was determined to protect the forest.

Was it possible that a dragon really lived in the hardwood forests? Granted, the territory was uncharted and no one really knows what’s in it, but is that enough cause to believe that a dragon, the last one of the species, lived in there? Why had no one seen it in recent times, then? It was just not making any sense to Chanhee.

Defeated for now, Chanhee shed his robes and went into the adjoining bathroom, where his bath was already prepared by servants. Seeing the water was steaming hot, Chanhee quickly ordered for ice to cool the temperature of his bath and the room down.

He definitely did not need any more flames any time soon.


	3. Calm Before the Storm

With the thought of dragons and loneliness plaguing his mind, Chanhee went into his everyday routine like normal. For days he carried the thought of a lone dragon, waiting for its true love to break itself free from the curse of responsibility, on his shoulders, and Chanhee sank lower and lower into a downward spiral bordering obsession with the dragon.

He had no idea why he was so fixated on the story. Was it perhaps because he also saw himself in the dragon? They may not have much in common, but the loneliness speaks between Chanhee’s reality and the dragon’s myth. The loneliness talks of a fear that the day where they will be freed won’t ever come.

Chanhee may seem like he has it all, but he actually _loathes_ the idea of being a monarch. Servicing the people was what made him stay for the job, but the cosmetics that came with being the so-called ‘ _flower prince’_ of Rosetta burdened Chanhee. He was to stay composed, to stay beautiful and classy when all Chanhee wanted to do was run in the fields and play with the village children.

It seemed like such a small thing to be upset over, but Chanhee couldn’t help himself from feeling like he was being held back, trapped under expectations he might never meet. Worst of all, he was doing it alone, without a fellow prince nor princess by his side to confide his troubles in. The loneliness traps him in a stone tower taller than any man has ever built, and it was dark and desolate inside.

“You’re in deep thought, Your Majesty.” Younghoon, arguably his closest adviser, came up to him after a meeting. “The trial of the illegal loggers and miners will commence this afternoon, but you don’t look very thrilled about it. Should we reschedule?”

“No, no. I want those criminals jailed as soon as possible.” Chanhee pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping his tears would disappear from where they were pricking at his eyelids. “Do I really look like shit, Younghoon-hyung? Has the makeup not done its job?”

“I’ve known you long and well enough to see through that thick layer of foundation the royal stylists seem to love putting on you.” Younghoon shrugged, closing his auditing book. “It’s not like you need makeup to look especially beautiful—you’re called _the_ flower prince for a reason.”

“That’s very kind of you to say. I honestly feel like they applied less makeup today, so I feel terrible at hiding my emotions.” Chanhee sighed. He looked at the stained-glass window, watching the palace courtyard through shards of different colors reflecting the sun’s bright noontime rays. “I feel like time’s passing by too slowly these days. It’s hard.”

Younghoon nodded, tapping his fingers on his book. They were the only ones left in the meeting room, the other advisers going around the palace to fulfill their own duties. Younghoon had done his earlier, and decided to accompany the prince’s lamenting to ease his worries.

“I don’t know how to stop you from overthinking, Chanhee.” Younghoon finally said after a long silence. “But I want you to know that your advisers are not only here to advise you. We’re also here for you to share your worries with, be it about ruling the kingdom or personal grievances. We’re _family_ , Chanhee. Please remember that.”

“I know, hyung.” Chanhee smiled. “I am grateful for that.”

“So, what has his Royal Highness planned for the Flower Festival?”

“Oh, I thought it was up to _you_ and Jacob-hyung to plan it this year. Why are you roping me in?” Chanhee raised an eyebrow. “All the time, I just stand there in the Royal Float, cut the first rose, then look pretty for the rest of the week. What should change this year?”

Younghoon grinned, not at all deterred. “I was just asking in case you want to spice some things up this year. It is the fifth year of your rule, after all. It’s the Wooden Anniversary, so we decided on using wood for all of the parade floats and decorations. We even commissioned a wooden sculpture of a rose blooming. We’re going all out, just to make this anniversary the most memorable one yet.”

“Well, I wish you luck and pray you both pull through.” Chanhee patted Younghoon’s arm. “I must go. I have an errand to attend to before the trial starts. Text me if you need me.”

Chanhee wandered out into the hallways, seeking his way into the kitchens to find a snack to satisfy him before the trial. He was looking for something sweet to calm himself, his apparent nervousness at facing his subjects again needs to be dissipated. It was terrifying to face the peoples most of the time, even to a veteran like Chanhee. You could see their expectations in their eyes, likewise, you could also see the disappointment.

A monarch must always appear indifferent and at peace. It was infuriating to Chanhee; he wanted to lash out most of the time, not be stoic and pretty-faced in front of the crowd. He wanted to scream at the illegal loggers and the jury to _Put them away! They destroyed the forests!_ But he was to be silent, to observe, to clench his fists at the obvious lies the suspects were to deliver in order to defend themselves.

Chanhee wanted nothing more than to shut them up quickly, call them names, then send them to jail.

But he must resist.

“The usual, Your Highness?” the head cook asked. Unsurprisingly, Haknyeon was in the kitchens too, taking inventory of the stocks for the upcoming winter. He greeted Chanhee with a grin and a wave before going back to his logbook and baskets.

“Yes, please.” Chanhee sat himself on a chair in the middle of the kitchens, waiting patiently for his drink.

“Hyung, do you still remember the story Eric told us a few days ago?” Haknyeon went up to him a few moments later, eyes wide and apparently done with his work. “About the dragon. I heard some townsfolk talk about it too when I went into town this morning. Apparently, there’s this big shadow looming over the hardwood forests these days.”

Chanhee watched him in silence and anxiety as Haknyeon whipped his phone out to scroll through his gallery.

“I asked the townsfolk to send me the photo, and look… it really does look like a dragon.” Haknyeon showed Chanhee the photo. It was crystal clear, taken as a souvenir photo of a woman with the forest as a backdrop, but a noticeable part of the forest canopy was darker, almost like in the shape of a dragon with its wings outstretched. “What do you think, hyung?”

“I think,” Chanhee accepted the lemon drink with thanks before turning back to Haknyeon. “That you’ve been too into gossiping these days. We don’t know what that is, but if it is a dragon or a horde of wolves, what matters is that we leave it alone and it does the same to us.”

“Hyung, the thing is… we didn’t leave it alone.” Haknyeon reminded. “The illegal loggers have already upset the pact with the forest. If anything, I think we have to prepare ourselves for a possible attack. I’ve been reeling in shipments of food to stock up in the granary. It’s fireproof and secure in there, it’s the safest place I could think of right now.”

“Precautions never hurt.” Chanhee agreed with a sigh. “Make sure it’s enough to ration for the townspeople as well, Haknyeon. _Them before us_. Coordinate with Changmin as to stocking up on textiles as well, we might need it for the upcoming winter. Global warming is a harsh thing, possibly even harsher than this dragon.”

Haknyeon looked at him with curious eyes. “So you believe it might be a dragon, hyung?”

“I believe that something’s out there, Hak.” Chanhee shook his head, staring out the window and into the town. “I don’t know what it is, how it will affect Rosetta… but I do know that we have a duty to protect the kingdom and its peoples. Remember that.”

“Yes, hyung.”

Haknyeon had to leave to do what Chanhee asked, and so the young monarch was left to sit alone in the table, sipping his drink to calm his nerves. But what Haknyeon asked him confuzzled Chanhee even more—did he really believe the dragon existed? Has Eric’s story gotten into him?

Chanhee wondered if he could convene with the dragon and communicate their loneliness, wondered if they could talk without speaking, but only through the eerie silence of their misfortunes as they are trapped in their fates. Chanhee thought of his dream, burning in the flames, was it an omen?

Was he destined to burn in the dragon’s flames as repayment for what his kingdom had done to the dragon’s home?

Chanhee shook his head again.

_One problem per day, Choi Chanhee. One problem per day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on new medicine so if I update a bit later-- please look away.
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy the update!


	4. One Fell Swoop

Juyeon pulled his cloak tighter around himself, knowing he looked really suspicious and out of place. The world had gone on with technology and left him behind—people were looking at glowing pieces of metal the size of their hands! What goes on? They were wearing different clothes, had different hairstyles, using new words Juyeon didn’t know the meanings of.

It hurt his head, but Juyeon ignored it and continued onward, carefully navigating the crowded, noisy streets and avoiding the bizarre, metal things in wheels—cars, he heard the people call them. The town _smells_ of technology and rubber, but the faint scent of roses still lingered and calmed Juyeon down even for just a bit. He felt bad for what he was about to do, but it had to be done. Juyeon sent a silent prayer, an apology, to the flowers for their fate.

_It wasn’t your fault. It will be fast and painless._ Juyeon promised.

He actually had no idea where to go, so he simply followed the scent of roses to where they were strongest. His leather boots and get-up swayed heads towards his direction, but Juyeon paid no mind, opting to lift his head and follow his nose to where the musky scent of subtle sweetness. He could smell danger, akin to the scent when he first found out about the machines pulling the trees down, but he reminded himself that the city was made of that smell. In short, the city was just dangerous.

Juyeon shivered at the thought, fighting his instincts to run and instead, he ventured further into the heart of the city, where the smell of the roses and flowers seem to be strongest.

“Did you hear? The prince is at the Justice Hall!”

Juyeon almost caught whiplash at how fast his head turned at the sudden information that rang in his ears. He quickly walked up to the lady and her friend, smiling as handsomely as he could. Juyeon knew he wasn’t terrible-looking as a human, In fact, he prided in his human form.

“Excuse me? Where is the… _justice hall_?” he asked in the softest, shyest voice he could muster.

“Oh, you must be part of the float! Are they hiring live performers now?” the lady giggled, apparently bemused by her idea. “You look so handsome! The Justice Hall is just right up front! Take a left at the second street corner you see, and the tallest white building is the hall!”

“Thank you so much.” Juyeon bowed, sending the women into more giggling. He left them, annoyed and confused as to why they were laughing at him, but he figured they just weren’t used to a handsome man talking to them. He quickly walked away, not liking how high their laughter is nor the fact that their mirth was directed at him.

There was a mob of people at the justice hall, and Juyeon couldn’t slip through—he didn’t want to try, actually. Being stuck in a body of bodies made his blood boil. So, he just waited a distance away, shifting his feet under the unwelcome heat of the city sun and lack of trees to shelter his human form. _The city is terrible_ , Juyeon muttered under his breath.

A few minutes later, Juyeon still couldn’t find a way in. He wondered if he should abort his mission or something, when he spotted a lizard climbing its way from a tree to the top of the justice hall. An idea started to form in Juyeon’s head, and he quickly shed his cloak, uncaring whether he could recover it later or not, and began to shift. As his clothes melted into scales, Juyeon let out a roar to command the attention of the townspeople.

And command, it did. The mob turned silent as they turned around to face the sudden source of a huge shadow that had engulfed the justice hall’s building. Then, a collective gasp and several screams of horror followed as Juyeon bellowed out a loud roar, the air thick with the vibrations of his anger in the humid drops of the atmosphere.

The concrete shattered under his feet, unable to support his weight fully, and that gave Juyeon another brilliant idea. He bounded up, spreading his wings far and wide, red and gold scales causing massive whirlwinds that toppled the street stalls and short buildings, sending flags flying from their posts. Juyeon flapped his wings, once—twice, and he was in the air, soaring towards the justice hall building’s apex.

The apex was too small for him to perch on, so he stumbled, causing massive damage as parts of the roof crashed down under his claws. He let out a roar, annoyed at the inconvenience, and also to intimidate the onlookers. His plan was going well—for now.

He then saw a parade of wooden floats sitting duck in a nearby street, right where the scent of the flowers was strongest. Without hesitation, Juyeon inhaled deeply and opened his mouth, ejecting a long jet of red-hot flames that could melt even steel. He did it again and again, torching the entire street until all was up in flames and all he could hear were screams of terror and cries for help.

A few men were firing some small pistols at him, to which Juyeon merely shrugged off. His scales were impenetrable by even steel, why bother with bullets? But then again, these humans must have thought dragons have gone extinct a long, long time ago. All they know of dragons is that they’re big, they’re strong, and they’re _dead_. Juyeon would have laughed if he could, but he was in dragon form, so he sneered at the shooters and swiped them off their feet with his tail. Effortless and powerful, exactly like the tales of dragons Juyeon were told when he was a young boy.

“Stop!” Juyeon froze.

“Stop, please!” A beautiful man had gone out of the justice hall amidst clamoring of who Juyeon assumed were very important men. The man that had gone to call him out was crying, holding a crown of jewels in his hand. Juyeon immediately pin pointed him as the flower prince, and what a sight it was for Juyeon, who have never felt anything like what he was feeling right there, before.

“Stop hurting my people!” the prince cried out, throwing his crown to the ground. “What do you want?”

Juyeon blinked at the braveness the monarch was displaying, watching the prince struggle with pushing his advisers away just so he could talk to the dragon alone. The desperate plea the prince gave out in order to save his people from further injury—perhaps Juyeon saw himself in the prince’s shoes as well.

He roared, unable to talk in dragon form. He shot out a leg of fire again, hitting the industrialized metropolis right in the heart. Juyeon saw the prince break down further into tears and he was admittedly almost about to stop, but then he remembered himself crying as the mechanical monsters tore the forests down not even a month before. He remembered the anguish he felt that he wasn’t able to do his duty. It was only fair that the prince of Rosetta be held responsible. Juyeon solidified his esteem again, snorting at the pleas thrown at his direction, and promptly torched what he could of what was left from the float parade earlier. He gloated at the sight of ashes, knowing the people must have put a lot of effort into it.

The scent of roses had been replaced by burning, and Juyeon’s flames were hard to extinguish.

The prince yelled again, more defiant this time. “Please! Let’s talk! Do not hurt my people any more than you have already done so!” It was a plea straight from the heart, and Juyeon considered it, blinking owlishly at the tiny, beautiful human prince who was being so brave and strong in the face of a big, scary dragon more than ten times his size. It was a very rare monarch to stand at the front line to defend his people.

“Stand down! Don’t hurt him!” The prince barked orders at his men. “Please, just let me handle—”

Juyeon didn’t know what made him do it, but the next thing he knew, he had swooped down and grabbed the prince by his claws, securing him in his ivory grip, and flew off. The prince was screaming, which was understandable, but it was drowned out by the wind as Juyeon soared higher and faster into the clouds and back home into the hardwood forests.

He didn’t know what the consequences of his actions would be, but Juyeon trusted his gut. It was, afterall, what led him to become what he was today. The prince went limp in his grasp, probably out of shock, and Juyeon peacefully flew back into his cave, unaware that he just sent not only an entire nation, but his heart as well, into turmoil.


	5. An Ultimatum

When Chanhee woke up, it was so pitch black, he wondered if he really had woken up or he was still unconscious. By and by, as his eyes adjusted to the light, he realized he was in a cave. A chill went up his spine as he remembered the events that led to him being there—

_Soaring through the clouds. Chanhee wanted to pass out. The ground was too far away, and the grip the dragon had on his waist wasn’t exactly tight. Chanhee feared he would fall, that he no one would catch him and he’d be a splattered mess of blood and guts and misery but no one would find him because he’s in the middle of the woods. His own slip on boat shoes have dropped a while ago and Chanhee was sincerely regretting not wearing lace-up formal boots instead._

_Chanhee was screaming, he was sure of that because his throat hurts, but he couldn’t even hear himself, what with the wind drowning out his voice several hundred feet into the atmosphere. Chanhee could see the castle, he could see the borders of his kingdom and that’s saying much considering how big Rosetta was._

_He couldn’t flail around—the dragon might drop him and who was this dragon anyway? Why come then of all times, not when Rosetta was at war with Cavenia? Or that time Rosetta was in an agricultural crisis and a famine engulfed the land? All of those disasters came before Chanhee was crowned prince, but he was there to experience the pain of it all—why had this dragon only bothered to come out now?_

_Granted, Chanhee knew it might be because the dragon’s loyalty was to the forest only, but a little help from the dragon’s powers and abilities might have saved Rosetta from a lot of trouble before! Chanhee thought it was a tad bit selfish of the dragon. The forest was still part of Rosetta, why had it not defended the kingdom before?_

Chanhee remembered losing consciousness in the air, and that was all to it, really. Then, he was stuck in a damp, cold and dark cave, shivering in a corner with no shoes because both fell when he was being carried away— _thanks for that, dragon_. _Absolutely nice job you did there._

A loud sniffling caused Chanhee to turn his head so fast he might have gotten whiplashed, and he realized it was dark because the dragon was blocking the entrance to the cave. Sunlight peeked in through the gaps between the dragon’s scales and the cave roof, but none reached Chanhee to warm him up.

“What do you want?” Chanhee found himself calling out, much to his own surprise. Things were really going haywire, he thought. The dragon was a myth a few days ago, and then now he was kidnapped by one was then shivering in his dragon cave. _So much for Eric’s story being a myth._

He wondered how his people were doing. Chanhee hoped Younghoon had taken over to quickly rebuild what was left of the town’s inner walls and help the merchants and peoples whose lives were affected by the dragon’s rage from earlier. Chanhee knew he could count on his advisers to help the townspeople immediately. Oh, he hoped they were still thinking straight!

Chanhee was on his own. He couldn’t add the burden of his escape onto the shoulders of his advisers as well. No, Chanhee was a smart man himself. He can and he will find a way out of the cave and into the forest, but the dragon could just come back and wreak more havoc if he goes without a settlement being reached.

“Dragon!” Chanhee tried to call out again, standing up. The soft dirt under his feet felt… very different from the palace tiles he was used to walking on, and Chanhee didn’t want to think that he might be stepping on some worms or bat shit or anything of that sort. His sanity just wouldn’t be able to handle it. “Dragon, I’m talking to you.”

Finally, the dragon rose from what Chanhee deemed was a slumber, and backed away from the entrance of the cave, letting the afternoon sunshine in to hit Chanhee and warm him up a bit. The dragon stared at Chanhee lavishing the warmth before turning back around to cover the mouth of the cave and block the light again.

_Well, that was just rude._ “Hey! What’s the big idea? Are you just planning on keeping me here until I starve to death?” The dragon changed positions at that, using its front limbs, attached to wings, to cover its head as if he didn’t want to hear Chanhee’s berating. Chanhee would have laughed at the action if he wasn’t so stressed—it was almost like the dragon was a stubborn child who didn’t want to listen to a scolding.

“Hey!”

The dragon looked at him with wary, golden eyes. Chanhee imagined the dragon saying, _What, human??_ in a tired, deep voice, but he really couldn’t think what the dragon’s human voice might sound like. It’s not like he’d have a chance to know—the dragon might not be able to transform back into human, so there was no guarantee that Chanhee could even have a proper conversation with the creature.

“Can I at least get water and food?” Chanhee sighed, almost resigned. “And shoes?”

He was surprised when the dragon plainly huffed and turned away. _The audacity of this bitch—_ Chanhee had to restrain himself from cursing loudly at the creature; he was still a prince after all. No matter who he faced, in whatever situation, he had to maintain an air of regality and beauty… but the dragon was really testing his patience. To appease himself, Chanhee blew a raspberry in annoyance and stomped back towards his corner to sulk and plot his escape.

For now, he had to keep an eye on the dragon and take note of its schedule, so that Chanhee may find a time free and safe enough to use as a time to escape. That was not happening any time soon, Chanhee sighed, blowing his bangs away from his forehead and knitting his eyebrows together in frustration. Surely, there was something he could do.

“Hey, dragon!” Chanhee suddenly shouted, startling the creature who probably thought he could finally get alone and quiet times from Chanhee’s nagging. “I have a question. Why have you only appeared now? Why not when there was a war, nor when a famine starved and almost destroyed the entire kingdom? Do you not have any ounce of empathy for those outside the forest?”

The dragon huffed, sounding amused, and Chanhee imagined it was laughing at him. It made his blood boil, the blunt carelessness and apathy to the plights of the kingdom on which the forest was part of. Maybe it was his own fierce loyalty to his peoples, but having someone or _something_ dismiss such misfortune when it cost so many lives was immensely upsetting Chanhee.

“Why, you! You don’t care at all, do you? Don’t you think that’s a tad bit selfish? Only going out when your home is being attacked, but not when your neighbors are in peril?” Chanhee all but screamed at the dragon, astonishing even himself as he thought he had no voice left from screaming so much before. “All that power and majesty, and you never use it until you’re the one directly affected. What selfishness!”

He was expecting the dragon to get angry, because he know those words _stung_. Instead, he was surprised and disappointed even when the dragon simply did a small shrug, as if to say _So what?_ Chanhee was having none of it, the anger bubbling inside him threatening to spill out in tears that would surely embarrass him in front of his abductor, who very obviously lacked empathy.

“ _Protector of the forest_ , my ass!” Chanhee huffed, growing red in the face. He turned around, heaving, only to hear the sound of wings flapping. Chanhee quickly faced the dragon again, watching it go up and up and soar away, leaving him alone. Chanhee immediately rushed to the entrance, barely able to stop himself from falling off when he realized the cave’s entrance was on a cliff hanging several meters from the ground.

Chanhee felt nausea take over him, as well as exhaustion, as he stumbled back into the cave’s inner parts. He couldn’t leave—the dragon might have left but the only way out was to fly or jump, and Chanhee didn’t have wings nor was he willing to break his bones because he still needed to run. The dragon was such a cruel creature to leave just like that, giving Chanhee a glimmer of hope to escape, only to snatch it away by leaving him in a cave with no other exits other than one only the dragon can access.

Chanhee crept into his corner, wiping his tears away, and he slept.


	6. Three of Swords

When Chanhee woke up, he was alone still. The dragon was nowhere in sight, and Chanhee stretched out like a cat, trying to warm himself up in the damp cold of the cave—then he realized there was a blanket draped over him and a basket of fresh fruits, along with a jug of water, by his side.

In Chanhee’s mind, there was no way the dragon, in all his heartlessness, would have given the bare minimum comforts to his prisoner, so it must be some sentient animals with deep empathy to human plights that have left him some stuff to take care of himself with. Chanhee gratefully ate an apple and quenched his thirst, thankful to have privacy. He sat at the edge of the cliff, by the cave’s entrance, and dangled his legs by the edge.

He had to find a way to escape. If the dragon had merely placed him there and left him alone, then Chanhee just needed to find a way to get down from the cliff and run. Where he will go as the next part of the plan will depend on where he was, but Chanhee needed to get down first; he’d worry about other stuff when it gets there. Such was his way of thinking, and Chanhee prided in himself for getting his plans in motion.

He could use the blanket as a makeshift rope, but the length wasn’t even enough to fully cover Chanhee. It would be stupid to use that. Chanhee went back into the cave, looking for more materials to use. Dirt was getting under his fingernails and Chanhee felt so disgusted with himself, rolling around in the dirt just like that. What happened to being the flower prince? What happened to him?

All this, in Chanhee’s mind, was the dragon’s fault. His fall from regality and classiness was all because the dragon had been selfish and… defended its home? Chanhee’s brain hurt from the moral ambiguity the whole situation was giving off. Who was right, who was wrong? Was it really that simple, that black and white?

“No. The dragon’s in the wrong.” Chanhee huffed out, solidifying his stance on the whole ordeal. He stomped his feet, kicking up dust that sent him coughing and regretting the action, but Chanhee was only to look at the dragon with contempt and anger from then on—no more sympathizing with the creature that they were both lonely and had tasks that burdened them greatly!

_The dragon was selfish! The dragon was bad!_ Chanhee kicked up a storm of dust around him in a tantrum. _Dragon! Bad! Stupid! Selfish! I hate dragon!_

***

In his human form, Juyeon was walking along the forest floor, picking berries and other fruits to feed himself and the prince he had kidnapped back in the cave. It was annoying Juyeon how loud and nagging the prince was, though he wasn’t onto admitting the prince was very beautiful and calming when he wasn’t screaming at Juyeon: i.e. when the prince was sleeping. Juyeon had a good look at the sleeping prince before he flew off, needing to shake off the unnerving attraction he was feeling towards the prince.

His ears rang with the prince’s screeching, it almost like he wasn’t a prince but rather a banshee, because even night owls don’t screech as much as the prince does. _Is that what they teach now in the kingdom? To intimidate, you must scream, not put up a stance and challenge your foe to a duel? My, how low have these mighty humans fallen._ Juyeon thought to himself, bowing to a herd of grazing deer.

The alpha deer bowed back, tucking its front legs in a formal curtsey, before nudging its head towards a bush that was teeming full of red berries. Juyeon smiled with thanks, moving to harvest and take the berries from that bush instead. The fruits were red and plump and Juyeon could smell the sweet spring fragrance berries always had in time for their blooming season. He took a bite, marvelling at the never-ending wonders of the forest that sheltered and protected the animals and himself.

Still, his mind drifted back to the prince in his cave. Juyeon had been called selfish before, so when the prince had started to insult him, it almost felt like nothing. Juyeon had this theory that he’s been a dragon for so long, he had started to disconnect from human feelings and empathy for their species as well. It’s almost like Juyeon couldn’t care less about what’s happening to them, just that his forest was safe.

There was the matter of his sudden, inexplicable attraction to the flower prince though. Juyeon had chalked it up to him merely being starved of the companionship—if you could call it that—of another being resembling him in some way. Sure, he wasn’t exactly the same being as the prince anymore… but Juyeon couldn’t help but think that the prince was… well, _beautiful_.

It didn’t matter though. Juyeon was sure the prince absolutely _loathed_ him by then, what with the whole destroying the town central and kidnapping and the ‘selfishness’ ordeals. Juyeon had no idea what to do with the loud prince, but he figured his instincts were right and his actions would prove fortuitous and bear good fruit. He still has nightmares about the forest being torn down by those metal monsters. The peoples deserve having their prince kidnapped, it was a fair trade.

Only that Juyeon was stuck with a prince who won’t ever keep quiet unless he’s asleep. Juyeon sighed at that, tying his bag of berries to a nearby branch as he started to shift back into dragon form. Scales began to appear on his skin as he grew and grew in size, wings stretching out and engulfing the forest canopy into darkness with its span and breadth. The transformation process wasn’t exactly painful, and Juyeon would very much like to have opposable thumbs most of the time, but he had to keep the dragon appearance with the prince.

He just couldn’t risk the prince knowing there was humanity left in him, not when he was waging war against humans. It would just not make sense—it wasn’t making any sense to Juyeon, what he was doing, as well. All he knew was that his gut told him to kidnap the prince and deal with the consequences of such an action.

Juyeon grunted, taking the berry pouch from the branch with his snout, and flapping his wings to get airborne. He had a prince to feed. Juyeon just hoped the prince would at least stop cursing him out—he had his reasons for staying clear of human’s affairs; Juyeon wasn’t bound to his humanity anymore. His life belonged to the forests. _He_ belonged to the forest.

Juyeon wasn’t supposed to bring the prince in, as well. His plan was to wreak havoc on the kingdom, show no mercy as he slaughtered their wooden and stone infrastructures and harvest. His plan was to show his might so that the humans wouldn’t even think about going near the forest anymore. True, it could have led to a bigger retaliation from the technologically advanced humans, but Juyeon was prepared for that.

He wasn’t prepared to always be in dragon form. It wasn’t that he was uncomfortable, he just didn’t want the human to see him as something on the same level as him. Or something else. Something else was telling Juyeon that he shouldn’t show his human self to the human, or else. _Or else what ,_ exactly, Juyeon did not know nor understand. He was sure the prince thought he was stuck in dragon mode anyway.

Some part of Juyeon wanted to show the prince that he too, was human. Maybe it was the loneliness in him, wanting to find his other half to end his forsaken duty to the forest. Juyeon quickly shook the thought away though—even if he did fall in love, he couldn’t leave his promise. It was a lonely vigil, one that Juyeon wished no one else would ever have the misfortune to bear.

Juyeon was fine with carrying the burden of isolation for the rest of the world’s days; he was used to it. He wished it wasn’t his sometimes, but on most days, what kept him going was the fact that no one else would be burdened by his terrible loneliness, that people out there would be living good lives with their other halves. Every night, Juyeon would send a prayer of apology to his own soulmate—he couldn’t leave his duties to be with them. It was too selfish, and Juyeon was anything but that.

And so, Juyeon’s lonely watch will continue forever.

As he neared his cave, he could see the prince’s sleeping form under the blanket he left on him early that morning because the human was shivering and cold.

Suddenly, Juyeon had to wonder… was the prince his soulmate?


	7. Ice Melting

“I know you’re human.”

Juyeon gave the prince a tired look, though given the limited facial expressions his dragon form could express, maybe that was why the prince couldn’t get the hint that Juyeon was just _done_ with his nagging and talking. Earlier, he had carefully placed the berry pouch by the prince, who flinched at the proximity. The prince must have thought Juyeon was going to eat him. He had quickly retreated, not liking how he actually _liked_ the prince’s smell.

“Why won’t you shift? Are you stuck?” The prince continued to interrogate Juyeon, who honestly just wanted some peace and quiet in his cave. “I know your story. My youngest adviser, Eric, he told me about your story. Most of my other advisers dismissed it as a fairytale, and I did too, honestly. There had been no sightings of dragons for years and suddenly there’s one in my kingdom? It sounded so strange!”

Juyeon closed his eyes, pissed. He really wanted to rest after walking around the forest, just lay down in the cool dampness of his cave, but _no_ —this loud prince was so talkative, he was actually close to talking Juyeon’s ears off. It’s t _otally_ not because listening to the prince talk made Juyeon want to hear more.

At the back of his mind, Juyeon wondered what would happen if he shifted. If he changed forms right there and then, would it be enough to shut the prince up or would it prompt the prince to talk even more. Juyeon didn’t want to risk the latter, because his ears might really fall off then, but the possibility of the prince finally shutting up was so sweet and nice that Juyeon couldn’t think straight anymore.

He cracked his neck, preparing to shift back into human form. The prince was still talking; something about the last dragon sighting being in the Polynesian islands or something related to a super volcano explosion in the North that destroyed industrial prowess… Juyeon had tuned him out, focusing on the sound of his bones breaking and taking their original shape.

“Which brings me back to my point! Where have you been all these years…” The prince trailed off.

Juyeon had shifted back to human form and was staring blankly at the prince. He then walked over to the side, picking up a pair of pants he had left earlier, and dressed, nonplussed that he was just naked in front of the highest authority in the land. His body was well defined, Juyeon knew, and he wasn’t shy of showing it. The deep red blush on the prince’s cheeks was enough for Juyeon to know that he did well.

“I can shift.” Juyeon clarified, walking closer to the shocked prince until he had the prince backed into the wall of the cave, caging him. “And you… you’re a guest in my cave. Act like it, _please._ Stop talking my ears off.”

“You’re _human_.” the prince stammered out, gasping.

Juyeon closed his eyes, already feeling a headache starting. “No. I’m not human, not anymore. I’m one with the forest and _your people_ destroyed my home. You’re here because of that. Yes, it’s selfish that I only came when my own home was destroyed, but I am under no obligation to be of service to humans.”

It was silent for a moment, a multitude of emotions flashing in the prince’s eyes. Juyeon was tempted to turn away, not liking the hurt and sympathy exuding from the prince, but he stood his ground. The prince then slowly took off the blanket around his own shoulders, moving to throw them over Juyeon. The sudden act of grace startled Juyeon, who couldn’t help but widen his eyes at what was happening.

“I understand.” The prince spoke softly, hands falling to Juyeon’s arms as he adjusted the blanket covering Juyeon’s bare torso. Juyeon’s skin burned heavenly from under the blanket due to the gentle touch. “You’ve been alone for so long; you think the forest is the only thing that matters. But I’m here, and I will teach you that it’s not the only thing that you should hold dear.”

“What?” Juyeon was baffled at the sudden boldness the prince was showing. “I’m not one of your subjects, _prince._ You are in no position to teach or command me. Certainly not in my own domain.”

“No, I’m not a prince here.” Was the determined reply. His hands, soft as rose petals, then went up to hold Juyeon’s face. “I’m only a human here, just as you are. I’ll remind you of your humanity, such is the duty of one person to another.”

“What are you talking about?” Juyeon asked, eyebrows furrowed. Still, he couldn’t find it in himself to move away from the touch. It was almost addictive how it burned him pleasantly, as if cleansing all of Juyeon’s sins away and making him new again.

“My name is Chanhee. What’s yours?” the prince smiled, not at all perturbed that Juyeon was having an internal struggle because of him. There was this strange attraction between them, magnified with Juyeon shifting back to human form, that was there even from the first time Juyeon had laid eyes on the flower prince in the kingdom’s justice hall. Juyeon couldn’t regret shifting, though. Something was stopping him and telling him it was the right thing to do.

Juyeon closed his eyes, willing his strength and power to come back. “Juyeon.” He sighed, defeated. “My name is Juyeon.” He then heard the prince repeat his name, over and over again as if tasting the pleasant sound on his tongue, and it sounded so good to hear his name from another person’s voice. _What is wrong with me?_ Juyeon wanted to scream, to roar and terrorize the prince, but he was rooted to the spot by Chanhee’s touch.

“That’s a nice name.” Chanhee smiled, when Juyeon finally opened his eyes. “Do you know why people have names, Juyeon? It’s because it’s what connects them to their humanity. We name animals when we feel close to them, right? Our names are part of what makes us human. The fact that you remember and still answer to your name means you’re still human, no matter how hard you deny or how wrong you think it is.”

Juyeon stepped back, shrugging Chanhee’s hands off him. “Who are you to say that to me?” he demanded, though it sounded weak even to his own ears. The prince followed him, taking steps forward when Juyeon was taking them backwards, until Juyeon was the one whose back was to the wall.

“I’m a fellow human.” Chanhee explained. “It’s funny. I was sure I despised you before you shifted… but here we are. Now all I feel is a deep sympathy for you, and an obligation to show you the world that you have been missing for all these centuries. You’re not a monster, you’re just lonely.”

“How will you even show me what I haven’t seen yet?” Juyeon challenged, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “I have not stayed rooted to his forest. I’ve travelled by myself and seen most of the world, more than you probably ever will. What is left for you to show me?”

“This.” Chanhee stood on his tippy toes, closing the distance between them with a soft kiss. Juyeon’s eyes widened at the sudden proximity and action, but his hands flew to Chanhee’s waist anyway and his eyes fluttered shut after a moment. His grip on Chanhee’s waist tightened in surprise when the prince deepened the kiss, pushing Juyeon to lean back against the cold wall of the cave.

When the prince finally pulled away, he was blushing a dark red, and Juyeon was growing pink with the burn of the prince’s lips still on his skin like dragon flame melting an ice cube. Unable to help himself, Juyeon caught hold of the prince again and smashed their lips together, earning a muffled sound of surprise from Chanhee before the prince let out a shy laugh, looping his own arms around Juyeon’s shoulders.

“You’re way too human.” Chanhee breathed out, laughing when they pulled apart for air. At the shy whine Juyeon let out, the prince laughed even louder, feeling the cave with echoes of his beautiful laugh that Juyeon wanted to hear more of. It sent Juyeon reeling, how he went from despising the prince’s voice to marvelling at the laughter, but he supposed it was his dragon side battling with his… human side.

Whatever Chanhee was doing to him, it was working and scaring Juyeon at the same time. The prince was a big gulp of fresh air in a place where Juyeon didn’t even know he was suffocating from, but it would all boil down to a dilemma Juyeon wasn’t sure he could ever choose from: _the forest_ or his _humanity_.

As Juyeon leaned in for another kiss, he pushed the thought away. He’ll solve it later; for now, there was this prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost at the end! I might update the remaining chapters until next week, so look forward to an early ending!


	8. Dance of Flames

Juyeon still could not believe it. He usually spent the nights cold and huddled in a corner of his cave, but not that night—not with the prince tucked into his side carefully and peacefully sleeping. Chanhee’s hair tickled Juyeon’s chin whenever he moved to get closer to Juyeon’s body heat, and it was making Juyeon’s heart beat like crazy in his chest. Chanhee also smelled like flowers, the same smell Juyeon thought he’d burned down in Rosetta.

They had shared the meal of berries and Chanhee told Juyeon about his duties as the flower prince of Rosetta, to which Juyeon listened to attentively and sympathetically. They were alike in terms of great responsibilities handed down to them due to their love of what they were protecting and serving: Juyeon with the forest and Chanhee with the kingdom. Juyeon had also voiced out his confusion about why his dragon form loathed Chanhee so much.

_“I had a dream I was being consumed by dragon fire, on the night your home was destroyed, Juyeon.” Chanhee had admitted as well. “I can’t remember the details anymore, but it has to be connected to you. Maybe it was your human side calling out to me, to stop you from being consumed by the dragon form in you.”_

_“Why would it reach out to you, of all people?” Juyeon asked, confused. The entire situation was baffling to him, mostly the assumption that his humanity was being lost to his duty to the forest. He had taken great offense at that when it was brought up, to which Chanhee simply argued that he had taken the mantle of duty for too long, far longer than any mortal was meant to do._

_“Do you believe in soulmates, Juyeon?”_

Juyeon used to think that his soulmate would hate him for leaving him alone while Juyeon was defending the forests, but what if the prince in front of him was _his_ soulmate? Destiny always would find a way to unite two destined souls anyway—Juyeon just thought he wouldn’t meet his because of the isolation he had brought upon himself.

“I believe in soulmates.” Juyeon whispered, though Chanhee was asleep and could not hear his honesty. “And I think it is you, flower prince, who is my other half. Unfortunately, things do get more complicated than just that… I would never be able to choose between you or the forest. Whatever you may say, the dragon is still me, and I am _the_ dragon. Two sides of the coin still make a singular coin.”

He knew Chanhee would never make him choose, not outright and bluntly anyway. Chanhee understood Juyeon’s stand on responsibility and duty, very much so because Chanhee was also in the same position. The prince was to marry a princess of another kingdom and bear a son… a thing that bothered Chanhee because he was _gay_ and in no way attracted to women enough to sleep with them, but duties to the kingdom come first.

Juyeon and Chanhee were attracted to each other, there was no denying that, though Juyeon’s dragon side still despised the prince, human Juyeon rationalized the explanation that Chanhee was not in charge of the destruction, rather, those were illegal loggers and Chanhee had actually put them on trial to protect the forest.

It was… the human way to deal with things. The dragon wanted to see the illegal loggers burn, to fix his flames onto their skin until they were scathed and charred black. Juyeon tried to temper his dragon side, dousing its inextinguishable flames with a promise that the forest will never be harmed again.

“What’s got you thinking so early in the morning?” Chanhee yawned, and Juyeon realized the sun had risen and that he hadn’t slept at all yet, rather just zoned out overthinking his problems and getting no answers to questions that keep multiplying with every breath he takes.

“Do you want to explore the forests?” Juyeon asked instead of answering, sitting up and letting their shared blanket pool at his hips. Chanhee shivered at the cool wind touching his bare shoulders, bringing the blanket up to his pale neck again and pouting when Juyeon moved to leave and get water from a nearby pitcher.

“Juyeon, what’s wrong?” Chanhee wrapped the blanket around himself, inching closer to the other. He looked at Juyeon with wide, concerned eyes and Juyeon couldn’t help but sigh and lean in for a soft kiss, addicted to the euphoria he felt whenever they were together. Chanhee placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. “Juyeon. Talk to me.”

“I’m scared, Chanhee.” Juyeon finally blurted out. “I’m so fucking scared of what’s happening and I have no idea what to do. Am I human or am I a dragon? Why can’t I be both? Do I really have to choose? I don’t want anyone else to feel the loneliness I felt in the forest, I don’t want anyone else to be alone like I was, but I also don’t want to lose you.”

Chanhee was quick to hug him, wrapping his arms around Juyeon’s shoulders so Juyeon could rest his head on Chanhee’s chest. Chanhee hoped hearing his heartbeat would calm Juyeon down, because he really didn’t like how the other man was close to crying. “Juyeon, oh, did you even sleep? A tired mind makes the loudest noise. Let’s stay inside today, you need to sleep.”

“I need you beside me.” Juyeon sighed, closing his eyes and pressing himself even more to Chanhee. “That’s all I need right now and forever more, Chanhee.”

“And I will be with you.” Chanhee promised, hugging back just as tightly. They were both plagued with the nagging voice at the back of their minds that by staying together, they were ignoring their duties, but they couldn’t find it in themselves to care—not when they were holding each other tightly and their heartbeats synced as one beautiful music singing a song of destiny in the silent ambience of the forest.

***

“Your fire scares me.” Chanhee whispered that night as they huddled together. Juyeon had an arm around him while the other was above the shared blanket, making flames dance on his palm as he showed off his talent to the prince. “If they can’t be extinguished by water, what could counter it?”

“Nothing. It’s that powerful. It’s mostly driven by my emotions. The angrier I am, the hotter the flames.” Juyeon clenched his fist, thinking of his destroyed home. Flames engulfed his entire hand, and Chanhee whimpered, burrowing into Juyeon’s neck to hide from the flowing red and yellow tongues of fire. Juyeon smiled at the reaction and willed the flames out, brushing some strands of hair away from Chanhee’s face. “Is it because of your dream?”

“That fire destroyed part of my kingdom.” Chanhee reminded, though there was no venom in his tone, just resignment. “I understood why you did that, but fire has always been the flower’s bane. It burns and spreads and engulfs everything in its bloodthirsty path. When it leaves, there’s nothing but ashes and charred remains in its destructive wake. Death by burning isn’t the best way to go.”

Juyeon hummed. “I won’t apologize for burning your kingdom.”

“But do you apologize for taking me?” Chanhee asked. The question was so sudden it actually caught Juyeon off guard.

It took him a few moments to answer, “No. I don’t regret taking you. While it all started as a gut feeling which I mistook as revenge, I am happy to have met you, Chanhee.” He explained, honest and bare. “My flames will never be directed at you as long as I can help it, you have my word. In my eyes, in my heart, you’re never an enemy. You’re safe in my flames, Chanhee. My flames will never hurt you.” As he said those things, Juyeon willed a lick of flame to dance on his palm again.

He nudged Chanhee to go ahead and touch it, and after much hesitation, Chanhee took a deep breath and covered Juyeon’s palm with his own. The flame continued to dance, engulfing their intertwined hands, but all Chanhee felt was a nice, warm bearing in his heart. He looked at Juyeon with amazement, then at their hands. “How?”

“I told you, my powers are controlled by my feelings.” Juyeon reminded, willing the flames out. He still kept their hands locked together, an anchor in the night to prevent either of them from drifting too far away. “And what I feel towards you is powerful, but it isn’t scathing. If any, it’s the flame that nourishes and gives warmth in the coldest and loneliest of times. It’s the flame of being alive, Chanhee. That’s what those flames earlier were.”

Chanhee felt his heart sink with too much love for Juyeon. If only they were free from their all responsibilities, if only there were no strings holding them back. If only they were not themselves. If only.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twitter: @juyeonieee
> 
> Curious Cat: https://curiouscat.qa/juyeonieee_


	9. Stony Dungeons

Chanhee had no idea how he managed to get down from the cliff, but there he was, barefoot at the foot of the small hill on which the cliff was hanging overhead on. Dressed in clothes Juyeon left, Chanhee remembered the direction Juyeon had flown off earlier to get them more food, and he promptly ran in the opposite way, logically thinking that Juyeon would fly away from the kingdom instead of towards it.

Not exactly used to not having shoes, Chanhee made slow progress until he finally reached the edge of the forest. He ducked under the makeshift barricade and put his hood on, edging close to the shadows of the little town he was in. Chanhee knew his face was memorable and anyone who could see him would immediately pinpoint him as the flower prince, so he had to be careful.

“ _Have you heard the latest from the capitol yet? The situation is so tense in there._ ”

Chanhee perked up at overhearing some gossiping aunties by a fruit stall. The whole purpose of his little escapade was to know how the kingdom was doing in his absence. He had no doubt Younghoon and his other advisers had taken the situation under control, but how well they’ve done that is how Chanhee would base his decision on whether he’d come back as a prince or stay with Juyeon. There didn’t seem to be a way to do both at that time.

“ _They’re launching an attack on the damned dragon that took our beloved prince away! We were given orders to evacuate since the forest might get affected and us too. They’re already preparing the arms to demand the dragon to give the prince back or they’ll kill the dragon. I heard they’ll even go as far as use nuclear force.”_

Chanhee’s blood went cold at that. As fast as his legs could carry him, Chanhee ran back to the forest, dosging the trees and weaving through the grassy paths to get back to the cave as soon as he could. There was no way he was going to let Juyeon get killed. He had to warn Juyeon. Juyeon had to leave the kingdom.

He stumbled numerous times but Chanhee managed to arrive back at the cliff. He didn’t know how to get up, so he just stood at the bottom, yelling out for Juyeon. His heart was beating frantically in his chest, and Chanhee thought he would die of a heart attack from worrying too much for Juyeon’s life. “Juyeon, please?”

Instead of a human, a dragon peeked its head out from the cave, looking terrifying and betrayed at the same time. Chanhee felt his heart sink—Juyeon probably thought Chanhee had ran away for good. He pleaded with Juyeon to let him up, and Juyeon conceded by extending a claw out and carrying Chanhee back up to the cave, where he surprised the dragon by suddenly clinging onto Juyeon’s maw in some form of a hug.

“Juyeon, listen to me.” Chanhee couldn’t help but weep, eyes filling with tears. “Juyeon, they’re planning to kill you. Please, you need to leave the kingdom before they could launch an attack on the forest. Please.”

Chanhee was crying so much, he didn’t feel when Juyeon shifted back to human form, only coming back to consciousness when Juyeon engulfed him back in a hug by the waist. “I thought you left me, Chanhee. I lost control and let my grief turn to anger and shifted. I almost lost myself again.”

“I would never leave you.” Chanhee surprised even himself with the honesty in his words, and he realized he meant it. Chanhee could never leave Juyeon—he was prepared to leave his duties to his capable advisers and follow his heart for once in his life. “Juyeon, you’re _my_ soulmate. I’m willing to burn myself with your flames, but for that, you need to be alive and well. You need to go.”

“Chanhee…” Juyeon cupped the prince’s face, looking at him with so much tenderness in his eyes. “I’ll never burn the rose that saved me. I can’t just leave the forest. I can’t just leave _you_. My dragon form is invincible, Chanhee. I can withstand whatever they throw at me—”

“That’s not the point, Ju!” Chanhee cried out, holding Juyeon’s arms. “You’ll get hurt! Don’t underestimate the power of technology humanity has come to amass since your voluntary exile to the forest. They’ll destroy the forests, Juyeon. They’ll destroy you. I can’t let that happen. There’s no other way, you have to leave.”

Juyeon responded to Chanhee’s teary pleas with a searing kiss. It was goodbye, but also a promise. “I’ll come back for you, Chanhee. I promise you that. I’ll come back an ordinary mortal, and we can be together. I have no idea how long it will take me, but I swear, I promise by the stars, the moon, and everything constant in this universe. Let them be witness of my oath to return to you.”

“I love you.” Chanhee whispered, bringing their foreheads together. “God, Juyeon. I never felt this way towards anyone, and the way it developed so fast and so deep… I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait for you in this life and in my next lives if that’s what it takes, Juyeon. I’ll never be able to feel this way towards anyone else.”

“If loving you is sin, I’d gladly burn in hell.” Juyeon breathed out. “It hurts to leave you. I can’t.”

“You must.”

***

Chanhee padded towards civilization again, that time with a heavy heart. Tucked into his pocket was the last gift Juyeon had given him… for now, Chanhee hoped. He would live his life waiting for his dragon to come back. For now, Chanhee needed to get to the capital and stop his advisers’ plans on destroying the last bits of Juyeon’s memories to Chanhee.

He managed to hitch a ride to the capital while still concealing his face, not really in the mood for the kingdom to celebrate. The locals he had talked to were kindly farmers on the way to the capitol to donate their extra stores to the people affected by the tragedy and Chanhee’s heart was touched by the compassion his role as a flower prince influenced even the poorest souls to give what they could. Chanhee noted to reward the farmers later on.

Still, the news about the dragon and the missing prince made even the farmers, who respected the forest and its stories, bitter towards the creature. One of them exclaimed he was praying for the dragon’s demise in return for stealing and possibly hurting the beloved flower prince of the kingdom. Chanhee had clenched his fists and said nothing, unable to even defend Juyeon just yet. His heart hurt at the betrayal he was doing, but if he were to wait for Juyeon, Chanhee must endure and be patient.

If Juyeon had managed to endure waiting centuries for his soulmate to reincarnate as Chanhee, Chanhee could wait a few more hours before being able to save Juyeon and his home.

The farmers dropped him off at the market, where their little caravan had stopped. It still smelled like smoke, and ashes still swirled into the air, but Chanhee didn’t care. The destruction at the center of the kingdom would be nothing compared to the tragedy that would happen should his advisers continue on with their plan. Chanhee walked around, noticing the obvious lack of preparations for the flower festival and the solemn, angered faces of his subjects.

Chanhee marched up towards the broken justice hall and took his hood off, sighing at the damage on the building. He didn’t blame Juyeon anymore, after understanding that Juyeon’s dragon form had been taking over Juyeon more than his humanity was… If anything, Chanhee was thankful he met Juyeon.

“Your Highness!” the townspeople slowly started to see and recognize him, gawking at his disheveled appearance. Chanhee was still barefoot, his clothes that of old age peasants, so he must have been a sight. His face was clear and determined, though. The hatred ends there, no more. “Get the prince some shoes.”

“No.” Chanhee shook his head when a subject offered his own shoes. “No, this is my penance. I have an announcement to make, my dear subjects. The past few days have been eventful for all of us, but there is no one to blame. The dragon… he left.” Chanhee’s voice cracked and he felt a tear slide down his cheek, but he stood strong. “He won’t be coming back. I hereby declare an end to the war waged against the dragon of the hardwood forest.”

The townspeople suddenly went loud, murmuring amongst themselves and wondering what happened to the prince.

“As for my final announcement…” Chanhee held his head high with a small, proud smile. He hoped Juyeon could still hear his next words. “I will be stepping down from the position of flower prince. Effective _today_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter left! Thank you so much for continuing to read and support this fic!


	10. Refuge

“Chanhee, c’mon, you can’t _just_ do that!” Younghoon was literally begging with him. “Please, you can still tell them you’ve retracted your statement from earlier at the justice hall! What’s with the nonsense that _I’m_ the next flower prince starting tomorrow? Chan, please this—”

Chanhee merely laughed at his adviser’s pleas. Younghoon was so distraught at the sudden turn of events, he had to sit down and be served a glass of water for him to take in what was happening. The other advisers all wanted to question Chanhee, but all the prince said was, _Restore the forest as best as you can._ What happened in the cave in the hardwood forest would remain only between Juyeon and Chanhee.

“You’ll do well, I just know it.” Chanhee patted Younghoon’s head. “You’ve had enough training from being my adviser for years, hyung. I know you’ll be able to lead the people of Rosetta well. I have my reasons for doing this… reasons I may be able to share in the future, but for now…”

He removed the crown from his head, looking at it and letting his fingers run over the curled gold and precious stones shaped like flowers as decals. All of it seemed worthless compared to Juyeon’s dragon scale hanging from Chanhee’s neck… maybe being selfish for once in your life wasn’t so bad, after all.

“This is yours now.” Chanhee handed the crown over with a smile. He felt like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders when Younghoon sighed and accepted the headpiece, signaling that he was fine and willing to take on the mantle of responsibility Chanhee just dropped on him. “I’m sorry, I know you have questions.”

“You fell in love, didn’t you?” Younghoon chuckled tiredly. “So, Eric’s little story turned out to be true, after all. I wish you all the best, Chanhee. I don’t know what happened in the forest, but whatever happens from now on, please don’t be a stranger. You’re my bestfriend, Chanhee.”

“Of course, I can’t just ignore you!” Chanhee also laughed, picking some clothes from his wardrobe to put into a tiny suitcase. “I’ll be living in the little village by the forest, to watch over it, you know? The townspeople there are really kind and you should really think about investing in agriculture, the land there is very fertile and our farmers need all the help they can get.”

Younghoon scratched his neck, confused. “You’re going back to the forest?”

“Not _the_ forest, per se.” Chanhee clarified. “Just the village nearest to it. I… I’ll be waiting for someone to come back, hyung. I don’t know when or how he’ll come back, but he promised he will, and I trust him.” Chanhee fingered the golden red dragon scale on his chest, hanging by a strong, black thread. “And we’ll live together as normal people, just us two.”

***

Chanhee let the sunbeams hit his face as he worked on the small patch of land on which he was growing some flowers to sell. He had only just started and it was hard work, but Chanhee enjoyed the labor knowing the results would be beautiful cut flowers he could ship to the capitol in a month or so. His small house was just beside the land, overlooking the forest.

He spends his nights staring out of the window with a cup of tea, waiting for a familiar silhouette to arrive from the woods. His days were filled with work and teaching the village children how to read and write, having taken on a role as a teacher due to a lack of it in the village. It was tiring, but Chanhee had never felt so accomplished in his life. Sometimes, the people would still slip and call him as royalty, but Chanhee was just quick and gentle to correct them.

Younghoon and the other advisers would come to visit sometimes, and Chanhee also stays at the capital, but not for long. Chanhee had long abandoned the lifestyle he was used to, and instead sleeps on the floor cuddled up with blankets pretending it was someone else holding him. Chanhee always sets the dinner table for two, just in case, and keeps two of everything in his cabinets.

“But who are you waiting for, teacher?” his students asked him.

“I’m waiting for the one I love to come back.” Chanhee never thought he was the type to be sentimental, but every day, he prays to the moon, the stars, to everything that would listen to him, and kiss the dragon scale he was left with. He prays that one day, he’ll wake up and see a familiar pair of red-gold eyes staring back at him, and plump pink lips that are a little chapped from the cold to land on Chanhee’s own lips.

Sometimes, Chanhee swore he could feel Juyeon was just around the corner in the public market, just idling by and watching over Chanhee to make sure he’s safe and happy. Sometimes, a shadow would be longer and Chanhee would feel warmer even for just a moment, until he’s cold again. But he never complains, he knows how hard it was to take off responsibility and be selfish. Chanhee could wait for an entire lifetime.

“The flowers are beautiful.” Chanhee hummed, surveying his land. The sprouts have grown and bloomed into beautiful flowers of different colors and varieties, intoxicating the midsummer’s air with their soft scents. The rose bloomed, graceful as ever, at the center of the field, commanding attention. Chanhee walked over to it and cut a stem, not minding how the thorns pierced his delicate skin.

_They’re beautiful only for you_. The wind seemed to whisper to Chanhee. _My beautiful rose._ Chanhee laughed to himself, feeling giddy, and brought the rose back to his house to set up in a small vase. He smiled at the red petals reminiscent of the dragon scales, glinting in the golden sunlight. Chanhee still waits for Juyeon to come home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it ended! I really enjoyed writing this, so I hope y'all enjoyed reading as well~
> 
> Please do leave comments and kudos! You can even suggest what I could write next about (has to be about JuNew, of course).
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Twitter: @juyeonieee


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